Ball winding machine



p 1934- J. R. GAMMETER BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1930 7Sheets-Sheet l I u Ytlllllllllllllllllll mun" lllllllllll N N W 11: T

Sept. 18, 1934. J GAMMETER I 1,974,212

BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed-Aug. l. 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 P 1934- J. R.GAMMETER BALL WINDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet s Filed Aug. 1, 1950 Sept.18, 1934.

'r Sheets-She et 4 P 1934- J. R. GAMMETER 1,974,212

BALL WINDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1930 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 atented Sept.18, 1934 BALL WINDING MACHINE John R. Gammeter, Akron, Ohio, assignor,by mesne assignments, to The B. F. Goodrich Company, a corporation ofNew York Application August 1, 1930, Serial No. 472,355-

33 Claims.

This invention relates to ball-winding machines, and more especially itrelates to mechanism for winding golf balls wherein a continuous lengthof elastic strand material, such as rub- 55 ber tape or thread, is woundon the ball while under tension, in successive convolutions, while theball is constantly in angular motion on changing axes, to produce aperfectly spherical finished article.

In the winding of golf balls with the mechanism heretofore provided,great difliculty is encountered in maintaining uniform constant tensionupon the strand material as it is applied to the ball, because of theconstantly increasing 15 diameter of the latter and the constantlydecreasing size of the spool of material from which the strand is drawn.This inability to control accurately the tension of the windings resultsin non-uniformity of the weight and resilience 2g of golf balls. I

The chief objects of this invention are to effect uniformity of weightand resilience in .wound balls; to remove some of the causes forbreakage of the winding strand; to save time and as labor heretoforerequired for re-threading of the apparatus after the winding strand hasbroken;

, and to provide improved ball-winding apparatus whereby the foregoingobjects are attained. A more specific object is to provide automaticallyfor maintaining constant, uniform, determinate tension in the strandmaterial as the same is wound on a ball. A further object is to provideimproved counter-balancing mechanism for a rotatable element.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved ballwinding machine, in itspreferred form, a part thereof consisting of a supporting structurebeing broken away. F

Fig. 2 is a re r elevation of the machine, a part being brok away forclearness of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 2.

- Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 isan elevation of a gear and associated cam as viewed from theline 6-6 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 8 is a sectionthrough one of the ball- 50 holding members, and mechanism formanipulating the same.

. Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section on line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a section'on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

55 .Referring to the drawings, 10 is a supporting structure upon whichis mounted a housingll, and 12 is the main drive shaft of the machinewhich is journaled in suitable bearings mounted in the respective endwalls of the housing 11 and in brackets 13, 13 (Fig. 3) mountedinteriorly of the housing, said brackets being provided respectivelywith bearing bushings 14. The drive shaft 12 is driven from any suitablesource of motive power by a transmission belt 15 which engages a pulley16journaled on an extension of the bushing 14, at the left of themachine as viewed in Fig. 3, said pulley being confined between thebracket 13 and a collar 17 formed on the shaft 12. Mounted upon theshaft 12 beside the pulley 16, is an annular friction clutch member 18which has driving connection with the shaft through a feather key 19which permits axial movement of the clutch member toward and away fromthe pulley 16. The lateral faces of the clutch member 18 are providedrespectively, with facings 20, 21 of friction material such as leather,and the adjacent face ofthe pulley 16 is of plane form and adapted forfrictional driving engagement with the clutch facing to drive the shaft12. A stationary, disc-like, bracket member 22 has a tubular hub 22which is fixedly mounted in a boss which extends inwardly from theadjacent end wall of the housing 11, the member 22 being so positionedas to be engaged by the friction facing 21 o the clutch member 18 uponoccasion, to stop tation of the shaft 12.

The clutch member 18 is formed with a peripheral groove 23, and ri Jtherein is a collar 24 to which a forked ship er lever 25 is pivotallyconnected. The shipper lever 25 is mounted upon a short shaft 26 (Figs.2 and 5) which is journaled in the wall of the housing 11 arid in abracket 27 mounted interiorlyof the housing upon the floor thereof, andsaid shipper lever is provided with a downwardly extending arm 28 whichis connected by a toggle comprising links 29,30, 30 (Figs. 2 and 4) witha rock shaft 31, the latter being journaled in the front and rear wallsof the housing .11 and projecting outside said rear wall. The links.30of the toggle are pivotally mounted upon the rock shaft 31, and aflanged collar 31 is mounted upon the latter beside the links 30 andprovided with a projecting stud 31 positioned beneath at least one ofsaid links. The arrangement is such that counterclockwise movement ofthe rock shaft 31 as viewed in Fig. 2 causes the stud 31 to engage thelink 30 and lift the free end thereof to flex the toggle and actuate theshipper lever to shift the clutch giernber 18 into engagement with thebrake mem- A tension spring 32 is connected to the elbow of the toggleand to a bracket 33 mounted beneath a suitable aperture in the floor ofthe housing 11, said spring normally urging the clutch member 18 towarddriving engagement with the pulley 16, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2.The normal, inoperative position of the stud 31 is somewhat below thelinks 30, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the pull of the spring 32 is notdiminished by being transmitted to the rock shaft, but exerts its fullforce in pressing the clutch member 18 against the pulley 16notwithstanding wear on the friction facing 20 of the member 18. A leverarm 34 is secured to the rock shaft 31 and projects therefrom in theopposite direction from the toggle, and a weight 35 is suspended fromthe free end of said arm for turning the rock shaft angularly in thecounter-clockwise direction as described, upon occasion, upon therelease of latching mechanism which normally holds the rock shaftagainst angular movement induced by the weight 35.

The latching mechanism comprises a collar 36 which is mounted upon therock shaft 31 outside the housing 11 at the rear thereof, said collarbeing formed on its periphery with a single abutment or stop 36*- (Fig.2) which is engaged by a latch or pawl 37 pivotally mounted-at 38 uponthe rear wall of the housing for preventing counter-clockwise movementof the rock shaft as viewed in Fig. 2. The pawl is lifted, topermitcounter-clockwise movement of the rock shaft for stopping themachine, asdescribed, auto-' pawl-arm 3'7 and at its other end isconnected .to the lower end of a lever 40 which is pivotally mounted at41 upon the housing 11 and has its upper end positioned in the path of amovable member 42 (Fig. 7) having a forked end asso-' ciated withwork-holding mechanism. A stud 43 is adjustably mounted in the movablemember 42 for engaging the lever 40, and a tension spring 44 (Fig. 2) isconnectedto the latter and to the housing 11 for urging said levernormally toward said member 42, and for urging the pawl 37 towardlatched'position. The arrangement such that the lever 40 is engaged bythe member 42 when the work attains determinate size, and moved to theleft as viewed in Fig. 2. to lift the pawl 3'7.

For lifting the pawl 37 to stop the machine automatically andvimmediately upon the breaking of the-elastic strand material with whichthe work is being wound, I provide stop-motion mechanism which engagesthe strand material intermediate the work and strand-feeding mechanismwhich is provided for imparting determinate elongation or stretch to thestrand. The

strand-feeding mechanism is constructed as a unitand comprisesaframework 45 (Fig. 'I) mounted for vertical adjustment upon a post 46risingfrom the housing 11. A lever arm 4'1 is pivoted near its middle at48 upon the framework 45 and has one end provided with a grooved sheave49 adapted to engage the strand 50 of winding material as the latterpasses from the strand-feeding mechanism to the work 51, the latterbeing shown herein as a golf ball center. That end of the lever-arm 4'7which carries the sheave 49 is lightest so that in the inoperativeposition of the apparatus the lever andsheave are in the position shownin broken lines in Fig. 7. The sheave 49 is so positioned withrelationto the last strand-engaging member of the strand-feedingmechansm, and the work, that the tensioned strand 5c in passing over thesheave 49 draws the latter downwardly into close proximity to the work,as shown in full lines in the drawings. Thus, upon breaking of thestrand 50 the sheave 49 immediately moves upwardly to the broken lineposition described, and the opposite end of the lever-arm-47 movesdownwardly.

The opposite end of the lever-arm 42- is connected by a link 52 ofadjustable length to the free end of a beam 53 (Fig. 1) which is mountedat its other end upon a rock shaft 54 journaled in respective brackets55, 56 mounted upon the bottom of the housing 11 at the front and rearthereof. Mounted upon the end of the shaft 54 at the rear of the machineis an eccentric cam 57 (Figs. 2, and 5) which engages one arm of abell-crank lever 58 pivotally mounted at 59 upon the bracket 56. Theother arm of said bellcrank lever is forked and straddles the push-rod39 and bears agains ne side of a collar 60 mounted upon the latter, thearrangement being such is maintained in the ideal position shown, withthe sheave 49 adjacent to but not touching the ball. A handle 62(Fig. 1) is secured to the front end of the lever-arm 47, to provide forconveniently grasping the same to lift it, whereby the operativemovements of the cam 57 and bellcrank 58 are reversed to permit reversemovement of the push-rod 39 and latching movement of the pawl 37 at thestarting-of the machine.

For lifting the pawl 37 manually to stop the machine, a shaft 63 isjournaled in the rear wall of the housing 11 and in a quill or sleeve 64journaled in the front wall of said housing. (See Figs. 4 and 7). Thefront end of the shaft 63, outside the housing, is provided with ahand-lever 65 for turning it, and the rear end thereof is provided witha forked finger 66 (Fig. 2) which straddles the push-rod 39 and engagesone lateral face of a collar 67 mounted thereon. The arrangement is suchthat movementof the handlever 65 to the right as viewed in Figs. 1, 3,and 4 causes the finger 66 to move the push-rod 39 to the right asviewed in Fig. 2 to lift the pawl 37.

For starting the machine, and concurrently setting the automatic stopmechanism, the outer end of the sleeve or quill 64 is provided with ahand-lever 68, and the inner end thereof is pro-,

vided with a downwardly projecting arm 69 the Gil right as viewed in thesame figures and thereby effects clock-wise movement of the rock shaft31 as viewed in Fig. 2, with the result that the collar 36 turnsangularly until the pawl 37 drops behind the abutment 36, and the spring32 is permitted to straighten the toggle and throw the clutch mechanisminto driving position as the collar 31', moving angularly with the shaft31, carries the stud 31 out of engagement with the togglelinks 30. Tosecure a perfectly spherical and balanced ball requires that the latterbe constantly manipulated as the windings are applied thereto. Thework-manipulating mechanism of the present invention is adapted torotate the ball on three different axes, namely, on a horizontal axisfor drawing the winding strand onto the ball, on an axis perpendicularto the horizontal axis, and on an axis perpendicular to both of saidaxes and 20 lying in the plane described by the last mentioned axis asthe ball is rotated on the first mentioned axis, all of said axespassing through the center of the ball. For so manipulating the work, Iprovide a pair of opposed winder heads generally designated 73, 74 whichheads normally are urged toward each other to hold the ball betweenthem. Said winder heads and associated mechanism are substantiallyidentical so that a detail description of one of them will suillce,reference being had particularly to Figs. 8,9, 10 and 11.

The winder head 73 comprises a box-like hous-' ing structure 75 which isopen at its side facing the winding plane and has mounted therein a pairof parallel, spaced apart rollers 76, 76 which,

with similar, rollers in the winder head 74, are adapted to engage,support, and turn the golf ball center 51 constituting the work. Theheads 73, 74 always are sopositioned that the rollers 76 of one head areparallel to the similar rollers on the other head. The housing 75 ismounted with a tongue and groove connection upon a rotatable support 77which is secured to'one end of a' quill or sleeve 78 journaled for axialand angular movement in suitable bearing brackets 79, 79 on the top ofthe housing 11, the other end of the sleeve 78 being provided with agear 80 meshed with a.

gear 81 .of the same size mounted upon the main drive shaft 12 of themachine. The arrangement is such that the ball 51 is rotated upon ahorizontal axis when the machine is in" motion.

' For urging the winder-heads 73, 74 yieldingly toward each other andfor moving them apart concurrently as the ball increases in size, thesleeve 78 associated with the head 73 is engaged, between collars 82,82, by the movable member 42 hereinbefore mentioned, and a similarmember 83, but lacking the adjustable stud 43, is similarly engaged withthe sleeve 78 of the winder head 74. Thrust bearings 84. 84 are mountedbetween the members 42, 8 3 and the respective collars 82 nearest thework. As is most clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7, each .of the movablemembers 42, 83 comprises an arm having a forked end-portion which restsupon the sleeve 78 between the collars 82. The opposite end of themember 42 is secured to a short, horizontal rack 85 (Figs. 2 and 7)mounted for sliding movement in a pair of brackets 86, 87 secured to theside of the housing 11, "said rack being meshed with a pinion 88 mountedupon a shaft 89 joumaled in the housing 11 at thefront and rear thereof,and extending outside said housing at each of its ends. The movable arm83 has its end remote from the sleeve 78-secured to an elongate bar 90which is mounted for sliding movement in a pair of brackets 91,

91 adjacent the member 83 and in the bracket 87 at the other end of themachine, the bar 90 being formed with rack teeth 92 meshed with thepinion 88 on the opposite side thereof from the rack 85. The arrangementis such that axial movement of either sleeve 78 will effect similarmovement of the other sleeve by reason of the interconnected gearing. Atthe front of the machine the shaft 89 is provided with a hand-lever 98by which the shaft is manually. turned, upon occasion, as for separatingthe winder heads to remove a wound ball and to mount a ball coretherein. At the rear of the machine a peripherally grooved sheave 94 ismounted upon the shaft 89, and a cable or chain 95 passes over saidsheave and has one end secured thereto, the other end of said chainsupporting a weight 96 which normally urges angular movement of theshaft 89 to move v the winder heads toward each other.

The tongue and groove mounting of the winder housing 75 upon itssupporting structure 77 permits the housing to be moved relative to thelatter, which movement alternately carries the center of the housing toopposite sides of the axis of. said supporting structure. This movementis concurrent and opposite in direction in the winding. heads 73, 74,with the result that the work is rotated, on an axis perpendicular tothe axis of the supporting structures 77, without shifting its centerfrom the an?l of the latter;

For so moving t e housing 75 relative to the structure 77, I provide arotatable heart-shaped cam 97-(Fig. 10) which engages a pair of camrollers 98, 98 joumaled in opposite sides of the housing 75, with theresult that the housing is reciprocated, laterally, radially of the cam,as the latter is rotated. The cam 97 is mounted upon one end of a quillor sleeve 99 which is joumaled within the sleeve 78 and projectstherefrom at its opposite end where it is provided with a gear '100meshed with a gear 101 mounted upon the main drive shaft 12 of themachine. The ratio of the gears 100, 101 is somewhat less than that ofthe gears 80, 81 (about 8 per cent) which effects such relative movementbetween the cam 97 and the housing 75 as to cause the cam to reciprocatethe latter in a radial direction, the housing making one completereciprocatory movement for every twelve and one-half revolutions that itmakes upon its horizontal axis. The winder head 73 is balanced withrelation to its axis of rotation by means of counterweights 102, 102which are pivotally mounted at 103, 103 upon the supporting structure77, at each side of the path of reciprocatory movement of the housing75, each counterweight being formed with a gear segment 104 concentricwith the pivot 103 and meshed with a rack 105 (Figs. 8 and 9) formed onthe housing. The arrangement is such that lateral movement of thehousing moves the counterweights 102 in the opposite direction tobalance the rotating structure.

For turning the rollers 76 to rotate the ball 51' on the third axishereinbefore mentioned, each of said rollers comprises a shaft 106 whichis gear 108 in one direction only, namely, counterclockwise as viewed inFigs. 8 and 11.

The gear 110 is oscillated to effect intermittent rotary movement of theroller, 76, in the same direction, by a rack 113 formed on one arm of afork or yoke 114 which straddles said gear, the elongate construction ofthe latter permitting it and the rack to remain meshed notwithstanding.the stem 115, at unequal distances therefrom, and

are slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in suitable aperturedbosses formed upon a gear 119 which is journaled upon a bushing 120 onthe outer end of the sleeve 99. The gear 119 is meshed with a gear 120mounted upon the main drive shaft 12 of the machine. The ratio betweengears 119, 120 is somewhat higher than that between gears 100, 101 sothat the gear 119 rotates faster (about 3.4 per cent) than gear 100.This differential rotation of the gears is utilized to effectreciprocatory axial movement of the stem 115 in the following manner.

The lateral face of the gear 100 adjacent the gear 119 is provided withtwo concentric face cams 1 21, 122, (see Figs. 6 and 8) against whichthe respective push-rods 117, 118 are urged by means of tension springs123, 123 connected to the cross-head 116 and to the gear 119. The cam121 comprises a series of elevations 121 121 of uniform length, andintermediate. depressions 121 121 of different lengths, the arrangementbeing such that there are no diametrically opposed elevations. The cam122 is the complement of cam. 121, each of its elevations 122 anddepressions 122 being diametrically opposite similar elevations anddepressions of the cam 121. Thus, the push-rods 117, 118 are actuated inunison, and the stem 115 is reciprocated axially to turn thework-holding rollers 76, 76, notwithstanding the non-uniform arrangementof the cam faces of the cams 121, 122. It is the different speeds of thegears 100, 119 that provides the relative angular movement necessary formoving the push-rods 117, 118 over the said cams. The difference inrotation between the gears 119 and 100, and between the gears 119. andis no small denominator fraction of either gear 100 or 80 so that onecomplete revolution of the push-rods 117, 118 around the cams 121, 122does not return the ball to its original angular starting position, andt is feature of the machine, together with the n n-uniform succession ofthe cam members 121, 122, provides sucfli non-registry ofthe successiveconvolutions of material applied to the work as to produce asubstantially spherical finished article.

It will be obvious that the rollers 76 in the winder head 74 rotate inthe, opposite direction to those of the winder head 73 to effect therotation of the ball 51, and thismay be accomplished simply by reversingthe position of the rack 113 with relation to the gear 110.

The strand of elastic material 50 is applied to the ball 51 undertension, and in the apparatus herein shown, it is stretched to ten timesits original length. This stretch in the strand is obtained bypositively feeding the strand from a supply spool one-tenth as fast asit is wound upon the work, and the mechanism for so feeding thestrandincludes means for changing the rate of feed automatically to compensatefor the growing size of the ball. Also, means is provided whereby thetension is applied progressively to the strand, the greatest tension, ofcourse, being adjacent the work.

For so feeding the strand 50, a spiral gear 125 (Figs. 3 and 7) ismounted upon the main drive shaft 12 and is meshed with a spiral gear126 which is formed with an elongate hub portion (not shown) andjournaled thereby in a bearing bracket 127 formed on the rear wall ofthe housing 11,- a thrust washer 128 and a nut 129 being mounted uponthe outer end of said hub portion for securing the gear in the bearing.A shaft 130 is mounted for axial movement in a bearing 131,

Mounted upon the shaft 130 interiorly of the housing 11 is a drivingdisc 132 having a peripheral facing of friction material such asleather, said driving disc having its periphery engaged by the lateralface of a disc 133 mounted upon the end of a countershaft 134 that isdisposed in the same horizontal plane as the shaft 130, at right anglesthereto, and is journaled in a bracket 135 and in the end wall of thehousing 11, at the left thereof as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3. Acompression spring 136 is mounted upon the countershaft 134 between thedisc 133 and a Washer 137 abutting the bracket 135 for urging the disc133 into frictional driving engagement with the driving disc 132. Acompression spring 138 is mounted upon the shaft 130, between thedriving disc 132 and a washer 139 abutting the bearing 131, for urgingthe driving disc 132 toward the outer periphery of the driven disc 133,whereby the latter is driven at its slowest speed, which is the speedrequired at the start of operations when the ball 51 is of relativelysmall diameter.

For automatically increasing the speed of the disc 133 as the windingsapplied to the ball increase its diameter, an arm 140 (Fig. 5) ismounted upon the outer end of the shaft 89 and is connected by a link141 to the free end of a lever 142 mounted on a short shaft l43journaled in a bracket 144 projecting from the front wall of the housing11. The shaft 143 also carries a forked shipper lever 145 which isconnected to a shipper collar 146, riding upon the rear end portion ofthe shaft 130 (see Fig. 7), between fixed collars 147, 147 thereon. Thearrangement is such that as the winder heads 73, 74 move apart due to.the growing size of the ball 51, and the shaft 89 is thereby turnedangularly by the mechanism hereinbefore described, the shipper lever 145is operated automatically to move the shaft 130 axially inwardly andthus, by changing the drive ration of the frictionally engaged discs132, 133 to increase the speed of the countershaft 134. The

connection of the link 141 to the arm is ad-.

' 1,974,212 ly in Fig. 5. The end of the shaft 150 outside the housing11 is provided with a-bevel gear 152 meshed with a bevel gear 153 whichis mounted upon one end of a short shaft 154 journaled in the bearingbracket 151, the other end of the shaft 151 being provided with asprocket 155 connected by a sprocket chain 156 with a sprocket 157journaled upon a spindle 158 projecting fromthe framework 45 of thestrand-feeding mechanism, at an elevatednposition on the machine. Alsojournaled upon the spindle 158 are gears 159, 160 having drivingconnection with the sprocket 157, the gear 160 being meshed with a pairof spaced apart gears 161, 161 of equal size mounted upon one end ofparallel shafts 162, 162 journaled in the framework 45, the other endsof said shafts, on the other side of the framework, carrying respectivefeed-rollers 163, 163 which are adapted between them to support androtate a supply-spool 164 of the elastic strand 50. The feed-rollers 163are of such length as to fit between the end flanges of thesupply-spool164 so as to engage the convolutions of strand materialthereon, and thus are adapted, by rotating the spool, to let off thestrand material therefrom at a determinate rate, notwithstanding thefact that the windings on the spool constantly diminish in diameter asthe strand material is withdrawn therefrom.

The elastic strand 50 is stretched to ten times" its normal lengthbefore being wound onto the ball 51 and this stretch is imparted to thestrand,

In traveling from the supply-spool 164 to the ball 51, the strand 50engages a series of sheaves or pulleys 165, 166, and 167 which arearranged in staggered relation, and are positively driven at determinaterelative speeds with relation to each other and with relation to therollers 163 and the work 51, the arrangement being such that the stretchor tension of the strand 50 is applied thereto progressively insuccessive increments. The result of this method is that there is nosuch great differential of stretch in adjacent regions of the strand asto cause it to move relatively of the sheaves by sliding thereon,

/ which would chafe and roughen the strand, or to pass from the spool ina prematurely stretched condition. I

The sheaves 165, 166, and 167 are mounted upon one end of respectiveshafts 168, 169 and 170 which shafts are journaled in the framework 45on the same side as the rollers 163. Mounted upon the opposite end ofthe shaft 168 are gears 171 and 172, the latter being meshed with anidler gear 173 which in turn is meshed with the gear 159 on the drivenshaft 158. The gear 1'71 is meshed with a gear 174 on the shaft 169, andmounted on'the same shaft is a gear 175 which is meshed with a gear 1'76on the shaft 1'70. The

gear ratios of the aforementioned gears are such as progressively toincrease the tension in the strand 50', the final increment of tensionbeing effected by the work 51 which is-rotated at a surface "*speedwhichisgreater than that of the sheave 167.

In the operation of the machine, a spherical core is mounted centrallybetween the'vlvinder heads '73, 74, onthe axial line thereof, to beyieldingly engaged by the rollers '76 as said winder-heads are urgedtoward each other by the weight 96. The end of the strand 51 is thendrawn taut around the core, to depress the adjacent end of the arm 47and thereby to lift the link 52 to free the pawl 37, and the hand lever68 is moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 to set the machine inmotion. The core is thereby continuously rotated on two axes and,intermittently, is concurrently rotated on three axes to draw the strand50 onto itself, so that it grows in size in perfectly spherical form,and the tension of the strand is automatically maintained uniform duringthe entire winding operation. When the ball attains the required size,or upon the breaking of the strand 50, the machine is instantly andautomatically stopped.

By maintaining uniform tension in the strand 50 I avoid such breakage ofthe strand as heretofore has been caused by excessive tension therein.The provision of a positive drive for the tensioning mechanism isparticularly advantageous because starting resistance due to inertia andfriction in mechanisms wherein the strand drives the tensioning rollers,is herein-eliminated, and breakage at starting is avoided. Aside fromthe manual labor required for mounting the work therein and removing ittherefrom, the machine is fully automatic and accomplishes the variousadvantages set forth in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appendedclaims, as I do not limit my claims wholly to the specific constructionshown and described.

I claim:

1. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of means for rotating aball, a supply-spool of elastic strand material to be wound on saidball,

and means independent of the pull of the strand material for rotatingthe supply-spool to feed strand material to the ball.

2. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of means for rotating aball, a supply-spool of elastic strand material to be wound on saidball, and means independent of the pull of the strand material forrotating the supply-spool at determinate speed with relation to therotation of the ball, to feed strand material to the latter undertension.

3. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of means for rotating aball, a supply-spool of elastic strand material to be wound on saidball, and rotatable hold-back means engaging the material on said spool.

4. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of means for rotating aball, a supply-spool of elastic strand material to be wound on saidball, I

and rotatable hold-back means engaging the material on said spool andconstituting a support drive rollers peripherally engagingthe material159 on said spool for rotating said spool to feed material therefrom,and a driving means connecting said drive-rollers with the ball-rotatingmeans.

7. A combination as defined in claim 6 in which the driving means forthe drive rollers of the supply spool includes al'variable speed device.

85 In a ball-winding machine the combination of means for supporting anddriving a ball, including a member which contacts with the ball and 10recedes relative to-the' center thereof as the ball increases indiameter, variable speed feeding means for feeding a continuous lengthof strand material to the ball controlled by the receding member tomaintain uniform tension in said strand as the ball increases in size,and a controlling connection between said nrember and said variablespeed feeding means.

9. In a ball-winding machine, the combination increases in size.

10. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of means for supportingand driving a, ball, said means being axially and angularly movable, asupply-spool of elastic strand material to be wound on said ball, meansactuated by the angular movement of the ball supporting means forrotating the supply-spool at determinate relative speed, and meansactuated by the axial movement of the ball supporting means for varyingsaid speed.

11. In a ball-winding machine the combination of means for supportingand rotating a ball, a supply-spool of elastic material to be wound onsaid ball, a train of gearing for rotating the sup-a ply-spool atdeterminate relative speed with relation to the ball-rotating means,said gearing including a pair of friction discs, and means for shiftingthe relative positions of the discs to, change thespeed of rotation ofthe supply-spool.

12. In a ball-winding machine the combination W of means for supportingand rotating a ball, a

supply-spool of elastic material to be wound on said ball, means forrotating the supply-spool at determinate speed with relation to therotation ofthe ball, to apply tension to the strand, and means engagingthe strand between the spool and the ball for causing the tension to beapplied to the strand progressively in successive increments.

13. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of means for supportingand rotating a ball, a supply-spool of elastic strip material to bewound on said ball, means for driving said spool at determinate relativespeed with relation to the rotation of the ball, and a'rotary member ensheavesengagingixthe strand material between the supply-spool and theball, and means for driving said sheavesat graduated speeds.

15. A combination as defined in claim 14 including a itrain of gearingconnected with the spool-rotating means, for driving said sheaves. V

'form tension in the strand material as the ball- 16. In a baII-Windingmachine, the combination of a rotatable head for supporting and rotatinga ball, said head having a lateral movement which carries its center ofgravity alternately to opposite sides of its axis of rotation, and meansfor automatically counterbalancing the head dursaid movements.

1'7. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of a winder head forsupporting and rotating a ball, said head comprising a housing having alateral movement which carries its center of grayity alternately toopposite sides of its axis oLrotation, and a counter-weight sointerconnected with said housing as to be moved thereby in thedirection'opposite'to that of the housing.

18. A combination as defined in claim 16 in which the counter-weight ispivotally mounted and geared to the housing. of means for supporting androtating a ball, a"

19. In a ball-winding machine, the combination of a support, a box-likehousing slidably mounted for lateral movement on said support, a cam foreffecting reciprocatory lateral movement of said housing, a sleeveconnected to said cam, means for rotating said sleeve, a pair ofball-engaging rollers journaled in the housing, means for rotating theball-engaging rollers including an axially movable stein mounted in saidsleeve, and means for effecting axial movement of said stem in timedrelation to the movement of the cam.

201 A combination as defined in claim 19 in which the means foreffecting axial movement .of the stemcomprises a pair of co-axial gearsrotating at difierent speeds.

21. In a ball winding machine, the combination of means for supportingand winding a ball, said means being axially and angularly movable, asupply spool of strand material to be wound on the ball, means forrotating said spool to unwind the strand by surface contact with thestrand 115 wound thereon, means actuated by the angular movement of theball supporting means for driving the ball rotating means at determinedrelative speed and means actuated by the axial move ment of the ballsupporting means foryarying the 120 speed of said driving means.

22. Inja ball winding machine. the combination of a pair of opposedheads, a pair of rollers mounted on each head for holding the ball,means for rotating said rollers, means for rotating the heads, and meansrotating on the axis of rotation of the head fon reciprocating the headsin opposite directions relative to each other and transversely to theiraxes of rotation.

23. In combination in a ball winding machine, opposed rotaryheads, arotary sleeve attached to each head, means for rotating the sleeves,

'means for reciprocating the heads radially in respect to their axes,said means comprising rotary quills extending through the sleeves withmeans for converting the rotary movement of the sleeve intoreciprocating movement in the heads,.rollers carried by the heads forengaging the ball and means for giving the rollers rotary movement ontheir. axes, said means including members extending through the quills,substantially as described. I. 7

24. A combination as defined in claim 11 in which the means forsupportingandrotating the ball includes a head which recedes as the ballincreases in diameter, said head-being connected with the gear. shiftingmeans to automatically change the relative position of the frictiondiscs accordingly as the ball increases in size, substantially asdescribed;

V which the said ball supporting and rotating means includes a pair ofrollers in heads which recede Y 26. A. winding machine comprising meansfor rotating a core to wind an elastic thread thereon,-

a supply reel for such thread, means for rotating the supply reel tounwind thread therefrom, and means for conducting the thread in a pathfrom the reel wherein its initial tension is controlled and forthereafter releasing it to the core under an increased. and uniformtension.

2-7. In a Winding machine, means for rotating a core about apredetermined axis to wind an elastic thread thereon, and means actingindependently of the pull on the thread for feeding thread to the coreat a rate of linear speed hearing a fractional ratio to thecircumferential rate of speed of the core.

28. Ina winding machine, means for rotating a core to wind an elasticthread thereon, a. roll acting to engage hold back thread running to thecore, and means for driving the roll at a rate such that the thread isreleased to the core at a slower linear speed than that at which it iswound thereon. r

29. In a ball-winding machine the combination of a rotary winder headfor supporting a ball and rotating it on a plurality of axes, said headcomprising ball-engaging rollers and means for so moving them upon theirmounting that their centers of gravity change position with relation tothe axis of general rotation of the head, and counterbalancing means forsaid rollers mounted on said head. .7

* 30., In a ball-winding machine the combination of a head forsupporting a ball and rotating it on a plurality of axes, said headcomprising ballengaging rollers, a rotatable shaft on which said head ismounted, and means'extending through a'bearing of and mounted forrotation with said shaft for rotatively driving said rollers on theirrespective individual axes, and means on the side of said'bearingopposite to that oi the said head for eifecting roller-driving movementof said roller-driving means with relation to said shaft.

JOHN R. GAMMEI'ER.

